Hydraulic mechanism for synchronizing a plurality of prime movers with a master prime mover



Dec. 7, 1948. J A. SPANOGLE HYDRAULIC MECHANfSM FOR SYNCHRONIZING A PLURALITY 0F PRIME MOVERS WITH' A MASTER PRIME MOVER Original. Filed Jan. 15, 1944 INVENTOR. (/bH/V 4. 5P4/vos4E Patented Dec. 7, 1948 HYDRAULIC MECHANISM FOR SYNCHRO- NIZING A PLURALITY OF PRIME MOVERS WITH A MASTER PRIME MOVER John A. Spanogle, Dayton, Ohio Original application January 15, 1944, Serial No. 518,419, new Patent No. 2,381,934, dated August 14, 1945. Divided and this application May 5, 1945, Serial No. 592,160

I 1 Claim. (Cl. 60-97) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

The invention described herein may be manufactured and. used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention is a division of my copending application Serial No. 518,419 filed January 15, 1944, which has issued as Patent No. 2,381,934, August 14, 1945, and relates to a multiple unit speed control and is especially useful for synchronizing the speeds of several mechanically discon- I ple in construction and therefore less costly and more reliable than devices of a similar nature now in use.

More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide each power unit of the series with a fluid pump connected thereto for rotation therewith, all of the pumps being of the same output capacity when rotating at the same speed, and connecting the pumps in a closed series circuit, whereby the pressure diiference between adjacent pumps in the circuit is a function of the speed difference between the power units driving those pumps, then providing the control means of each power unit with a pressure sensitive device, and employing the said pressure difference to actuate the pressure sensitive device of the control means of the oif-speed power unit to bring it back to speed.

The invention may advantageously be applied to a system wherein all of the power units are synchronized to a master unit which maintains a constant speed.

In the drawing, the single figure is a schematic illustration of a system in which a small electric motor, which may be either a synchronous or a centrifugally governed or other form of constant speed motor, is employed as a master, the apparatus being so constructed that all of the power units are brought to the speed of the master.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the drawing.

In the drawing, which shows one form in which the invention may be practiced, four internal combustion engines I2, I4, I13, and I8 are provided with carburetors 20, 22, 24 and 26, gear pumps 28, 30, 32, and 34, bypass valves 36, 38, 40, and 42,

. amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 2 diaphragm casings 44, 46, 48, and 50, and diaphragms 52, 54, 56, and 58.

A master pump 60 is driven by a motor 62. Motor 62 may preferably have some manual control means 64 to bring the motor to a desired speed and some automatic governing means to maintain the speed at which the control means of the motor is set.

Short lengths of pipe 66, B8, 10, and 12 connect the outlet of one pump to the inlet of the next, while a longer pipe 14 connects the outlet of the last pump in the series back to the inlet of the first, thus joining all of the pumps in a series circuit. Direction of flow may be assumed, for illustrative purposes, to be according to the arrow 75. Vertical pipes I8, 80, 82, and 84 connect the diaphragm casings 44, 46, 48, and 50 respectively to the series circuit. Rods 86, 88, 90, and 92 provide operative connection between the diaphragms 52, 54, 56, and 58 respectively and the operating arms of the carburetors 20, 22, 24, and 26.

Valves 36, 38, 40, and 42 are loaded with springs 04, 96, 98, and I08 respectively, the'springs being provided with adjusting nuts I02, I04, I06, and E08. A supply tank I I0 is provided and kept filled with the operating fluid II2. A partition II4 extends across the tank and contains one check valve I Hi biased for flow up through the partition, and another check valve I I8 biased for flow downward through the partition. A short section of piping I20 connects the tank IIO to the pipe 63 and another short section I22 connects the tank to the pipe I0. A stop cock I24 is provided in the pipe I22 and is normally closed. The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

By means of the adjustment 64, the motor 62 is set at the desired speed. The automatic motor control (not shown) will then maintain that speed. The carburetors 20, 22, 24 and 26 may be so adjusted that the power units will all have a normal speed equal to that of the master motor 62. As long as the several power units all main tain the speed of the master motor 62, pressure will be uniform throughout the pumping circuit. Assume now that unit I2 overspeeds, the pressure at the suction side of the pump, that is, in pipe 14 will drop. This will also lower the pressure in pipe 78 and casing 44 thus operating on the diaphragm 52 to momentarily influence the carburetor adjustment and bring the power unit back down to the speed of the master motor.

Assume, on the other hand, that unit I2 underspeeds. The pump 34 of the unit I8 will increase the pressure at the suction side of the pump 28 and, through the pipe I8, casing 44, and diaphragm 52, influence the carburetor so as to bring the unit l2 back up to speed. All of the power units arekeptiatthe'speed of thezmaster motor. 62 in the samemanner.

It will of course be understood that by varying the capacity of the several pumps and appropri-- ately adjusting the several. carburetors, adifferent normal speed may be selected andimaintained;

in each power unit, all differing fromeach other and from the master motor.

The bypass valve springs 94, 96, Wand lllll'are sufficiently tensioned to keepl-thebypass valves closed during normal operation: If, however, anyone of the power unitsv ceases rotation or: is otherwise incapacitated, flow caused by the remaining pumps will continue through the bypass of the stalled unit.

Expansion of the fluid in the closed circuit due to heating will be relieved through the valve 116 cally operable :speedcontrol device on-eaoh unit,

theimprovements which comprises a series of hydraulicfluid containers each adapted for hydraulioconnection to the, intake side of a power unit pump, a flexible diaphragm for each container forming a closure for one side thereof, mechanioal nlinkagemeanss adapted for connecting the diaphragms-each to a speed control device for operating the speed control device, a gravity tank for holding reserve fluid for said pumps, said tank being,hydraulically'connected to both the intake and the dischargeside of the reference unit pump, apartition-intermediate the top and bottom of said tank, two check valves in said partition, one biasedfor downflow and the other biased for upflow through said partition, spring means for normally holding saidvalves closed, and a manually operable valve in the conduit connecting the tank touthedischarge side of the refernce unit pump.

JOHN A. SPANOGLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,140,565 Belknapetal May 25, 1915 1;841;157 Seeger Jan. 12,1932 2,103,274 Sanford Dec; 28, 1937 2,254,970 MaoNeil Sept. 2, 1941 2,269,332 Bench-etal Jan; 6, 1942 2,280,203 Toulmirr Apr. 21, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 433,099 Great Britain Aug. 8, 1935 

